Punjab Kings’ struggles in IPL 2026 continued as Delhi Capitals secured a thrilling three-wicket victory at the HPCA Stadium on Monday, handing the home side its fourth consecutive defeat.
Chasing a challenging target of 211 on a batting-friendly surface, Delhi Capitals made a disastrous start to the run chase. The visitor lost its top three batters within the first five overs and appeared to be heading towards another difficult outing. However, captain Axar Patel and experienced batter David Miller produced match-winning performances to rescue the side and turn the contest dramatically in Delhi’s favour.
Axar, facing his former franchise, played a composed and aggressive knock under pressure. The left-hander made Punjab Kings pay heavily for poor fielding after he was dropped on 25 by Suryansh Shedge off Ben Dwarshuis. That missed opportunity proved costly as Axar settled in and began attacking the bowlers confidently.
He targeted the left-arm pace attack of Dwarshuis and Marco Jansen in particular, ensuring the required run rate never became a major concern. Axar stitched together a crucial 64-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Miller, which shifted the momentum firmly towards Delhi Capitals.
Although Marcus Stoinis finally dismissed Axar on the final ball of the 14th over, the damage had already been done. Miller then took charge of the chase and guided the innings calmly with support from Ashutosh Sharma and Madhav Tiwari.
The decisive moment came in the 18th over when Ashutosh and Madhav attacked Stoinis aggressively, collecting 19 runs to virtually seal the match. Miller ensured there were no further complications as Delhi completed the chase with one over remaining.
Earlier, Punjab Kings had looked set for a much bigger total after a blistering start. Openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh gave the team early momentum with an explosive partnership, helping the host race to 51 without loss in just three overs.
However, Delhi Capitals’ pace attack fought back strongly after identifying the right lengths and variations on the surface. Mukesh Kumar broke the dangerous opening stand by dismissing Prabhsimran Singh, while young pacer Madhav Tiwari removed Priyansh Arya after the batter found Sahil Parakh at sweeper cover.
Mitchell Starc’s late breakthroughs and disciplined bowling from Auqib Nabi also played a major role in restricting Punjab Kings to 210 for five despite the strong start.
The defeat leaves Punjab Kings under increasing pressure as its campaign continues to slide, while Delhi Capitals boosted its playoff hopes with an important away victory.
